Theatre in review: Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors and Pride and Prejudice
The opening night of Ian McKellen’s ‘age-blind’ Hamlet felt like an ‘act of defiance’, says The Daily Telegraph
Last week was a“catastrophic” one for theatre, with several shows, including Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new Cinderella musical, falling victim to the “inflexible” rules on Covid isolation, said Ben Lawrence in The Daily Telegraph. So the opening night of Ian McKellen’s “age-blind” Hamlet at Theatre Royal, Windsor, felt like a double “act of defiance” – against the ravages of the pandemic, and the passing of the years.
At 82, McKellen proves “extraordinarily lithe”: as he “ran up the metal steps in Sean Mathias’s quasi-industrial production, the years seemed to fall away”. Yet his aged voice – “rich and oaky, sometimes pedagogic” – works against the age-blind conceit.
I wasn’t troubled by that, said Arifa Akbar in The Guardian. In an often brilliant performance, McKellen gives us “a prince of all – and any – time and age”. But the production overall is “bumpy”. Elsinore lacks specificity and danger, several of the key relationships are flat and unconvincing, and the “final tragedy leaves us unmoved” (until 25 September).
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The RSC’s new staging of The Comedy of Errors was about to open (indoors) in March 2020 when the pandemic intervened, said Mark Lawson in The Guardian. Sixteen months on, it is finally being staged, but outdoors – launching a new Stratford season in a pop-up “Garden Theatre”.
This amphitheatre-style space works a treat. And Phillip Breen’s staging is glorious: “exhaustingly funny”, but also touching on “deeper distresses about identity and reality”.
The fast-paced production has “more than a touch of madness, but its energy and inventiveness prove just about irresistible”, agreed Clive Davis in The Times. There’s a “winningly resourceful” cast of fine comic actors; a splendidly over-the-top 1980s “Day-Glo” aesthetic; any number of funny set-pieces and sight gags; and a director determined to wring comedy from “every word and every comma” (until 26 September, then touring).
Deborah McAndrew’s “brisk and witty” adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, at the Grosvenor Park Open Air theatre in Chester, is a “playful” and “romantic” treat, said Mark Fisher in The Guardian.
The actors, who repeatedly break into song, “respond to the outdoor setting with a breezy sense of fun”. There’s a nice double from Perry Moore as both “buttoned-up” Mr Darcy and “preening” Mr Collins, and a “grotesque” Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Howard Chadwick.
But the glue that holds the show together is Suzanne Ahmet’s excellent performance as Elizabeth Bennet. She brings great charm, humour and spirit to the part – and makes us truly believe that Lizzie’s “independence of mind is worth fighting for” (until 30 August).
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Who actually needs life insurance?
The Explainer If you have kids or are worried about passing on debt, the added security may be worth it
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Sexual wellness trends to know, from products and therapies to retreats and hotels
The Week Recommends Talking about pleasure and sexual health is becoming less taboo
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Is the AI bubble deflating?
Today's Big Question Growing skepticism and high costs prompt reconsideration
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Sarah Langan recommends 6 women-centric horror books
Feature The horror novelist recommends works by Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes for car lovers
Feature Featuring a 14-car showroom in Oregon and a Bentley-style apartment in Florida
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 serene homes in Vermont
Features Featuring a four-level Shaker barn in Hartland and a Scandinavian-inspired home in Stowe
By The Week US Published
-
Amanda Montell's 6 favorite books that will expand your knowledge
Feature The linguist recommends works by Mary Roach, Alice Carrière, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Rowan Beaird recommends 6 compelling books from the 1950s
Feature The author recommends works by Patricia Highsmith, Shirley Jackson, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes with great rec rooms
Feature Featuring a suspended fireplace in Arizona and a marine-themed home in Maine
By The Week Published
-
Recipe: gnocchi di spinaci (spinach gnocchi)
The Week Recommends Forget the potatoes for this gnocchi made of the 'classic combination' of spinach and ricotta
By The Week UK Published
-
Stephen Graham Jones' 6 scary books with deeper meanings
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Stephen King, Sara Gran, and more
By The Week US Published